The XQ Sumimasen Podcast

One of the things I love about living in Japan is that I’m still learning new things years after moving here. Sometimes it’s a food I’ve never tried, a custom I’ve never noticed, or a phrase I somehow managed to go over a decade without hearing. Other times, it’s something much smaller—like realizing a hand gesture I’ve used my entire life means something completely different here. In this episode, I talk about some of the Japanese gestures that caught me off guard over the years and the stories behind how I learned them. A few were harmless misunderstandings, while others made me rethink habits I never would have questioned back home. They’re all good reminders that understanding another culture isn’t just about learning the language—it’s also about learning the unspoken ways people communicate. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple ...

Living in Japan has always felt fairly predictable when it came to everyday prices. For years, I rarely thought twice about grabbing a drink from a vending machine or picking up groceries because prices stayed remarkably stable. Lately, though, that's changed. Like many people living in Japan, I've found myself stopping to look at price tags and wondering, "Wasn't this cheaper not that long ago?" In this episode, I share my personal observations about Japan's recent price increases and compare them with what economists, government agencies, and researchers have been reporting. I'm not trying to explain global economics—I'm simply connecting what I've experienced as a parent living in Tokyo with the data that's helping explain why everyday life feels different. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple ...

Living in Japan is full of little moments that teach you something new. Some lessons come through language, while others come from accidentally breaking a cultural custom you didn't even know existed. Most of the time, nobody calls you out in the moment. Instead, you find out later through a friend or family member, giving you the chance to learn without feeling embarrassed. In this episode, I share some of the mistakes I made while living in Tokyo and what they taught me about Japanese culture. None of them were major, but together they helped me better understand the importance of social harmony and why so many customs exist. Looking back, the mistakes themselves weren't nearly as important as the lessons behind them. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Learning That the Little Things Matter ...

Living somewhere for a few weeks and living somewhere for more than a decade are two completely different experiences. The excitement eventually fades, routines take over, and you begin noticing the little things that make a place both rewarding and frustrating. After more than 14 years in Tokyo, I've had enough time to experience the honeymoon phase, the culture shock, the everyday routines, and the quieter realities that only reveal themselves over time. In this episode, I reflect on what I genuinely love about living in Tokyo—and the parts that still challenge me. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Everyday Life Keeps You Moving One of my favorite things about Tokyo is how naturally active daily life becomes. If somewhere is only a station or two away, I'll usually bi...

Culture shock doesn't always come from major traditions or dramatic differences. More often, it shows up in ordinary situations: taking out the trash, getting around the city, dealing with paperwork, or realizing that different parts of Japan can feel surprisingly far apart. In this episode, guest co-host Devin and I looked back on some of the first experiences that challenged our expectations after moving to Japan and how our understanding of the country changed over time. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Learning the Rules of Everyday Life One of the first adjustments many foreigners face is Japan's garbage collection system. Sorting bottles, cans, plastics, paper, and household waste can feel overwhelming when you're still learning the local rules. The exact re...

Living in Japan for more than 13 years changes the way you notice cultural differences. The major adjustments are obvious at first, but over time, it’s often the smaller parts of everyday life that stand out: grocery shopping, the food you miss, the size of your home, and the routines you slowly build around all of it. In this episode, we compared some of the things we had to get used to after moving to Japan and how those experiences continued to change the longer we lived here. Watch the Full Episode Listen on: Spotify Apple YouTube Grocery Shopping and the Food You Miss Grocery shopping in Japan can feel surprisingly unfamiliar when you first arrive. You can usually find everything you need to make a meal, but the brands, package sizes, cuts of meat, and available seasonings may be different from what yo...